[Olle]

Hi,

I just have recently changed the CPU (Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 2.83GHz) heatsink to Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme with a Noctua NF-P12 120mm. The memory is 2x2 Patriot Viper 1333 MHz DDR3 with a 7-7-7-20 timing. I have a hightower chassi (Mozart Tx) by Thermaltake.

Now I have monitored the CPU temperature and it has been between 47 C and 52 C. I am definately not satisfied and was expecting the CPU temp. to be well below 40 C. I only applied a size of a rice corn of Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound on the CPU and spreaded evenly.

Althogh, according to the Theemalright Ultra-120 Extreme manual I was supposed to apply thermal compound on the heatsink as well but I only applied Arctic Silver 5 on the CPU and thought that would do it.

Until today....


I took the heatsink off and removed the one week old thermal compound and applied thermal compound both on the heatsink and CPU, this time. I was hoping that the temperature would dropp but it still remains almost the same ranges between 44 C - 52 C. (Comparing with when I only applied thermal compound on the CPU the first time).

Now I do have a big tower with a great airflow inside of the chassi with two 120 mm chassi fans in the front and three 120 mm fans in the back. One of the fans that is in front of the chassi and sucks in air into the chassi is facing towords the heatsink fan but there is about 15 cm (5.9 inch) btween these two fans.

I've placed the Noctua NF-P12 fan so that the air sucks out away from the heatsink (so it can not be that) and not blowing to the heatsink.

What is it that I am doing wrong??? Frustrating that I can't gett the CPU temp much lower after getting the Theemalright Ultra-120 Extreme.

[BG-0]

Try with the fan on the other side too. Different airflows prefer different installations.

Other than that, the heatsink base might be very crooked, a common problem with TR U120Es. When you think you're out of other ideas, take the cooler, clean it up, take a razorblade or other very flat blade, place it across the HS base, and point a small torch or other light at it. If light gets through from between the blade and the base, it's crooked. How much is it, you'll see from the width of the beam of light. This means either another gamble through a RMA, or a need for lapping the base. (http://www.theraptorpit.com/forum/in...showtopic=1549 ).

[replay]

I've placed the Noctua NF-P12 fan so that the air sucks out away from the heatsink (so it can not be that) and not blowing to the heatsink.

the fan should be at the front of the h/s sucking air thru the heatsink blowing air towards the back of the case)

[Olle]

To replay: The chassi 120mm fan in the back takes care of the suction. There is a space of about 5 cm (2 inches) between the HS and the chassi fan in the back.

To BG-0

I guess next step is lapping. Does it take a long time to do that? I probably have to lap both CPU and the HS. Thanks for the link.

[win2kpro]

You might try some IC7 compound which will maybe get you down a couple of degrees. On single, dual or quad cores I just apply the compound (about the size of 2 bb's) to the very center of the processor heatspreader, and let the clamping
action of the cooler heatsink to the processor heatspreader do the spreading.

Also, replay is correct. On a side mounted processor cooler airflow is always from front to rear.

[BG-0]

The article should explain all there is to lapping. Also, I'm totally clueless about your configuration there, but seems like it's wrong. replay and win2kpro really know what they're talking about. Get the airflow working correctly before anything else. That makes all the difference in the world to cooling performance.

[Olle]

So, i might have placed the CPU fan wrong...How should it be? Should the fan blow the air through/into the heatsink pushing the air out towards the back of the case and then the chassi fan sucks it out?

[BG-0]

That's one way to do it... Most of the time the best way.